U.S. Government Urges Pandemic Flu Preparations

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   U.S. government urges pandemic flu preparations
Wed 13 Jun 2007, 19:14 GMT

By Will Dunham
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials asked business, health and religious groups Wednesday to urge Americans to prepare for a possible flu pandemic with steps like storing food and supplies and staying home if ill.
Health and Human Services Department officials met with about 100 representatives of various organizations as part of an effort to convince Americans that the threat from pandemic flu is real and advance preparations can save lives.
The H5N1 avian influenza virus, which has killed 190 people among more than 300 known cases since 2003, is considered the most likely candidate to cause a pandemic if it acquires the ability to infect people easily.
Business groups, insurers, school administrators, civic clubs, the American Red Cross, medical groups, and Roman Catholic, Baptist, Mormon, Lutheran, Jewish, Buddhist and Muslim representatives were among those taking part.
HHS officials appealed to them to encourage Americans to take steps like storing extra food and supplies in the event an outbreak forces people to stay home for long periods, practice proper hand washing to cut the chances of spreading the virus, and stay home when ill to avoid infecting others.
"Preparing for an influenza pandemic is a shared responsibility," HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said in a statement. "By preparing now, individuals will be better able to deal with a pandemic, slow the spread of illness, and lessen the overall impact to themselves and to society."
Federal officials in February issued guidelines for communities on combating a flu pandemic before a vaccine is available. In the most serious pandemic, they called for isolation measures like closing schools, canceling public gatherings and quarantining households with sick people.
The Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration also urged employers to develop plans to cope with a pandemic, suggesting letting employees work from home and encouraging sick workers to stay home without reprisals.